Structural equation modeling of the critical driving forces of offsite construction in Ghana

Abstract

PurposeThe construction sector suffers significant challenges which are intertwined with processes and products of the traditional onsite construction approach. The quest for a lasting solution to these problems is heralding the change toward offsite construction. Amid the scaling drive, to date there are no official reports and contribution to knowledge on the drivers of offsite construction in Ghana. This study models the structural paths of the critical drivers of offsite construction in Ghana.Design/methodology/approachData were collected through a questionnaire from 95 respondents in the Ghanaian construction industry. Exploratory factor analysis and Partial least squares structural equation modeling were employed to analyze the data.FindingsThe results revealed that industry dynamics are the governing drivers of offsite construction in Ghana. As such, factors such as the rocketing housing deficits, high cost of acquiring land permanently, high cost of cast-in-situ construction, the utilization of prefabricated shipping containers for construction and construction market demand constitute the governing drivers of offsite construction in Ghana. Similarly, concern for higher productivity is a critical driver of offsite construction in the Ghanaian construction industry. On the contrary, findings show that performance-related drivers, government policy and regulation, and technological innovation exert little influence in driving offsite construction in Ghana.Practical implicationsThe appreciation of the drivers may help stakeholders to understand the important mechanisms underlying offsite construction in Ghana, and thereafter help them to make more informed decisions regarding its implementation.Originality/valueThe findings contribute some interesting dimensions to the global debate on offsite construction by discovering and adding two drivers of offsite construction peculiar to developing countries (high cost of acquiring land permanently, and the utilization of shipping containers for construction) to the literature.